The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-03-25
THE PASS EVIL.

tentioD and been more generally dls-
aussed than any other. is that which
has been construed BIZ the railway COM
panies to forbid the issuance of free
passes. The fact that this provision
has attracted so much attention and the
other fact that perhaps two out OF three
men who discuss it seem TO think the
law does not intend the prohibition de-
clared by the railroad managers. tell
too plainly that the clause affects
good many people; and also shows that
whether or not the act forbids the is
suance OF passes, the free pass is an evil
which should DE abolished. A year ago
Mr.. Charles Francis Adams told the
Cullom committee that it cost the
Union Pacific Railway 100000 a year,
or 81. 000 a day for free passes. MIR.
Adams did not mean that the company
was put to that expense, but. that il
those persons who rode on passes were
TO pay their fare, the income of the
road would be ZOO day greater than
it was. The Union Pacific is not excep-
has the reputation of being anything
but lavish in the matter of issuing
passes. Other roads suffer from dead
heading quite as severely as it does.
While the railways issue passes and
carry passengers free, it is mistake to
suppose that the companies suffer loss
by reason of this free carriage. 1t costs
the companies nothing, but is heavy
tax on the public. People who do not
hold passes have to pay for those who
do; the paying passengers on the
Union Pacific contribute 50 600 day in
order that an army of dead-heads may
ride without cost. Mr.. Adams esti-
mates that 10 per cent. more has to be
charged to those who do pay fares to
make up for tho Sc who do not.
But the money matteris not the only
evil involved in this pass nuisance.
Passes are issued to legislators, to State,
county and municipal officials, to
influential politicians and party
managers, to shippers of merchandise, to
newspaper editors and correspondents.
and so on. Now, the railroads do not
give passes to these parties because the
latter are entitled to them by reason of
their offices or any duties they may
have to perform. If pass is issued,
the company expects an equivalent. not
in money but in something equally
valuable. A pass to legislator means
that the company expects him to use
his influence in favor, rather than
against the company; the tax assessor
who receives a pass is expected to be
as generous with the company as it has
been with him; passes are issued to
newspaper men because the railways
understand and appreciate the power
OF the press to help or injure. There is
q motive in the issuance of every pass.
and too often the motive il not good
one. nor in the interest of good morals
public or private. There is no good
reason why a member of Congress who
makes laws for the control of railways
should ride without cost over these
roads, and the fact that he does
so ride is reflection on the
motives of those who permit it
and on his integrity, or would be if the
pass evil had not become so general as
to quiet suspicion. If the government
does not pay Congressman enough to
enable them to pay their fare, their
salaries should be increased and the
nation made to buy the railway tickets.
Nor is it clear that the newspaper
people have any right TO consider them
selves or be considered as entitled to
SD al favors from the railways. Senator
Culo u, the author Of the bill, says the
new law was not intended to and does
not forbid the issuance of free passes TO
members of the press, and says that
passes can be issued in consideration
of advertising. Senator Cullon doubt
less puts this Interpretation on the act,
in thekepe of retaining the friendship OF
the press which has been dropped from
the deadkesd list with others. There is
nothingin the law, and there is nothing
in common sense suggesting that an
exemption should be made in the case of
newspaper men. If railroads desire
advertising, they know how to obtain
it-ss merchants and others get it, by.
paying for it at the regular rates. The
theory that ''puffs' and complimentary
notices should be regarded as adyertis-
ing and that passes should be issued as
payment for them NJ. Cullom knows
is bad morally if not doWnright criminal.
Newspaper men should be able TO pay
their fare, as other people are Obliged
to do; or they should not ride.
TIE HERALD believes the CLAUSE pro
hibiting the issuance of free passes is
the best provision in the act; it is in